Gus Hansen on Bluffing

I found an awesome story online where Gus Hansen tells us about one of his favorite bluffs of all time and being the awesome guy that I am I figured I’d share it with all of you, enjoy!

“A lot of times, the great bluff doesn’t depend so much on your own hand, but more on what read you put on your opponent, sometimes in combination with the board. One of the ones I remember the best, probably because I’ve seen it played over and over again on TV, was at the WPT L.A. Poker Classic in 2003, against Andy Bloch. I had a 4-2 offsuit, and by the turn it was clear that I had no chance of winning. So I tried to bluff on the turn, he called, it was a semi-scary board, and I felt he had some kind of a hand but was not too happy about it. And a real scary card came on the river, making four to a straight. I felt he was on the second or third pair and he just didn’t want to see that straight card come out there. He checked, and I bet on the river and took down the pot with four-high. And that’s what a bluff is all about. It’s not just blindly throwing a lot of money out there, but really analyzing the situation.”

Gus Hansen Plays at Full Tilt Poker

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Here is a little interview with Gus Hansen I found online and thought I’d share with everyone.  I believe it is from early 2007.

1) You are known for your aggressive style that some people consider reckless, how do you make it work for you?

Of course it is a little bit exaggerated because they only show the most exciting hands on tv. Its not like all the time I play deuce four. But it seems like by doing that some of the time it has created a reckless reputation for me and I try and use that to my advantage in other situations. So it is paying dividends here and there.

2) You play in the big game at the Bellagio, usually a mixed game, of them all which game is your favorite?

I really like poker and of course they are different games, but it’s all poker. If you know how to play one game then you know how to play them all. It’s just different rules. In all games you have to be aggressive, keep your opponents guessing, and be able to read people well. I like stud a lot, I like triple draw, and I like no limit holdem. I like all kinds of games. I like poker.

3) Who would you least like to see at a final table with you?

Most of the players in the big game are the toughest and best players. Phil ivey is a really good player. And David Benyamine, a French guy is playing very very well. He’s a very good reader, it seems like he has a good grip on me, so hes been messing me up a little bit. But I plan on getting back at him. So against those two guys i’d really have to play my best to stay in the game.

 4) If you didn’t play poker for a living what would you be doing?

Probably playing some other type of game.

5) What has been your biggest loss at the poker table?

I’ve been stuck a million a couple of times

6) There were rumors all over the internet a few months ago that you went broke. Do you pay attention to the rumors and if so how do you respond to them?

No, it’s kinda like when people say I play every hand - it’s not true. There’s always lot of rumors and I did lose a lot in the big game. It’s really no secret. Early last year I did lose a lot in that game. I wasn’t broke, but you know how everything has been exaggerated like suddenly I’ve lost 12 million, now I just smile at it.

7) Do you gamble outside of poker?

I would say I’ve had a rather bad sports betting career and I would like to change that around but it seems like maybe it’s best to just quit.
8) What is the craziest bet you’ve made outside of poker?

I made a couple of bets with friends of mine like we’ll be sitting in a plane on our way to la and it’s been delayed and bet when it will take off. I bet over 2 o’clock and he bets under for 5k we just make funky bets like that. We’ll bet on the golfcourse or tennis, or whatever we do.

9) What sports are your favorites?

I used to be a pretty decent tennis player. But I love everything with balls really. Tennis golf, soccer, squash. Golf. Anything. I really enjoy sports a lot.

10) Where are you from?

I am a citizen of Denmark, a resident of Monaco and I gamble a lot in Vegas. So I stick around all over.

Did he say he likes playing with balls?  Nevermind.  Always remember you can play poker against Gus Hansen at FULL TILT POKER

Famous poker magazine “Poker Player” sat down with Gus Hansen in March of 2006 to discuss many topics.  Most of them about his style of play.  It’s a fun read and I thought I would bring it to the fans of GusHansenOnline.com

Please feel free to learn more about Poker Player at their website here
The great Dane reveals the secrets which have made him the most successful player on the WPT circuit
By PokerPlayer March 2006

AGGRESSION
My style of play is highly aggressive, which piles the pressure on other people at the table. When you’re called you have to make an educated decision about what cards your opponent has. You might get a feel for what they’re holding but you’ll never know exactly what they have until they show. It’s not possible to play perfect poker every hand. If you could, you’d win pretty much every tournament that you played in; but even if you make the right moves you’ll still get unlucky from time to time.

PLAY MORE
I probably play twice as many hands as other professional players. Every time they play one hand I’ll play two and that means I play some different holdings. Everyone bets out with the good hands but I’ll play more, as I like to test out my opponent and see how they react. You might lose that particular hand but you’ll be in better shape next time you go up against them.

PLAY 7-2 OFF-SUIT?
It depends a lot on the situation. Who opened the pot? Who flat-called? What position are you in? If this is the tightest guy at the table maybe you should sit this one out. But if it is the tightest guy at the table maybe you have a chance to make him play bad because he knows that you know that he’s tight.

STATE OF MIND
Poker’s not a little quiz where you have 10 questions and 10 answers. You’ll have 57 answers. Depending on the situation and the opponent one answer will be right at any given time. Even against the same player on a different day it changes – they may be in a different state of mind and you have to think from their point of view. That’s the beauty of poker and what makes it such a complex game.

HEAD DOWN
I enjoy the study sometimes even more than the game because it’s what makes you improve. Go into the details, look at what it boils down to and set yourself on the right path. Spend time studying and analysing hands you’ve played and combine that with a high level of competitiveness and you’ll put yourself in a good position to win. The old Olympic ideal that taking part is enough always seems to be brought up by people who regularly lose.

ABSTINENCE
Are you f***ing crazy? Poker’s not a physical game. There’s definitely an endurance side to it in some big tournaments, but having sex should be a pleasure and not a fight. If anything it’s going to influence you positively because it makes you feel good to be with someone that you like. It’s something that should make you relax, so I would never abstain. It doesn’t make sense to me in any regard whatsoever. Your performance is about your state of mind.

PLAY AROUND
Don’t be stuck in the mindset that just because you were brought up in Alabama that you’re a Southern Baptist. Ask yourself, ‘why the f*** am I a Southern Baptist?’ Don’t stop yourself from making a move just because this book or that book says that you shouldn’t be raising with A-J in first position; try it out and see if it works for you. If you like it, keep on doing it. Don’t take anything for granted, just check it out. And by the way, it’s a lot more fun.

FULL TILT POKER
And on a side note please remember that Gus Hansen plays online at Full Title Poker and if you’d like to get the chance to play him, you should Click Here and sign up!